Short answer: the Edifier MR3. It ranks #11 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 3.8/5, at $149.99; the Edifier MR5 ranks #78, rated 3.3/5, and costs $349.99, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The MR5 is the bigger, more capable system. It is an active three-way with a 5-inch woofer, a dedicated 3.75-inch midrange and a 1-inch tweeter, driven by 110W in total, while the MR3 is a compact two-way with a 3.5-inch woofer and 36W. The MR5 reaches about 51Hz at -3dB in Erin’s measurements; the MR3 is 3dB down at 70Hz and 10dB down by 53Hz, so the MR5 delivers far more bass without a subwoofer and plays louder before it strains.
The MR3 is the more even of the two through the midrange and treble. Erin’s data gives the MR3 preference scores of 3.91 on its own and 6.53 with an ideal subwoofer, with little overall tilt. The MR5’s measurements show upper midrange and treble irregularities and an off-axis response that narrows quickly above about 2 to 3kHz, so its tonal balance changes more as you move around the room.
Their connections are close. Both have balanced TRS, RCA and aux inputs, a front headphone output, rear tone controls and room compensation in the ConneX app. The MR5 adds balanced XLR and LDAC Bluetooth, where the MR3 uses Bluetooth 5.4 with SBC only. The MR3 is far smaller and lighter, at 220mm tall and 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) per pair against 264mm and 22.9 lbs (10.38 kg) for the MR5.
Buy the Edifier MR3. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Edifier MR5 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier MR3 | Edifier MR5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149.99 per pair | $349.99 per pair |
| Ranked | #11 of 48 in Small Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #78 of 108 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| App | Yes (Edifier ConneX) | Yes (Edifier ConneX) |
| Dimensions | 8.7”H x 4.9”W x 7.3”D (220 x 125.5 x 185 mm) (active); 220H x 125.5W x 176D mm (passive) | 6.3”W x 10.4”H x 11”D (159 x 264 x 280 mm) (active); 159W x 264H x 257D mm (passive) |
| EQ | Yes (rear knobs and app room compensation) | Yes (app EQ and rear high/low controls) |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 46Hz-40kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | Balanced TRS, RCA, Aux, Bluetooth | Balanced XLR, balanced 6.35mm TRS, RCA, 3.5mm Aux |
| Weight | 8.5 lbs (3.85 kg) | 22.9 lbs (10.38 kg) |
| Drivers | 3.5” mid-low driver, 1” silk dome tweeter | 5-inch woofer + 3.75-inch midrange + 1-inch silk-dome tweeter (each) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 51Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | LDAC, SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 6.0 |
| Amplifier Power | 36W total (18W per speaker) | 110W RMS total (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 83.3dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85dB (measured at 0.3V/1m, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Maximum SPL | 93dB @ 1m (manufacturer specified) | 101dB (Manufacturer specified, 1m) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.91 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.53 | - |
| XLR Input | No | Yes |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes | Yes |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Outputs | 3.5mm headphone | 3.5mm headphone |
| Headphone Output | Yes | Yes |
| Measurement Source | - | Erin’s Audio Corner |
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